Golden Boot standings: top scorers for Russia World Cup 2018

Full-time: Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Portugal survive! Morocco were the better team for most of the match and created an array of chances but they couldn’t find a telling touch when it mattered most. And that’s what Ronaldo specialises in. His early goal was the difference between the two teams. Morocco are eliminated from the World Cup despite a gallant display. They will be very, very frustrated. For years it was Portugal who had loads of brilliant players but not a top goalscorer. Maybe there’ll be a Moroccan Cristiano Ronaldo along in years to come. But for now, they’re going home (after playing Spain in their last game).

89 min: Amrabat slips in Ziyach, who cuts in from the right, darts past two and unloads from 10 yards. Pepe flings himself in front of it and deflects it over the bar, then celebrates like he’s scored. He certainly saved his team. Morocco denied again!

85 min: Ronaldo sends a rocket into the wall. Then he chases after it to try to get to the rebound. He succeeds ... and then is clipped by Amrabat. He falls to the ground and then gets up and makes the TV screen gesture. But not all contact is a foul. And that should be a booking for Ronaldo.

81 min: A Moroccan corner is cleared. Dirar runs on to the ball 30 yards out and senses his moment has come! He’s wrong. His shot veers towards Siberia. Meanwhile, a replay of the chaos in the Portuguese box a moment ago reveals that there was no foul, just lots of panicked players trying to get a telling touch on a ball that was pinging around.

80 min: Ziyach with a corner from the left. His outswinger sparks mayhem in the box. A Moroccan goes to ground and there are loud calls for a penalty! But the ref waves play on. I’ve no idea what happened but will let you know if a replay sheds any light. Portugal are clinging on here!

79 min: Ziyach flights in a dangerous freekick from the right. Benatia meets it six yards out ... but with his shoulder rather than his head, and the ball bounces wide. This must be agonising for Morocco fans!

76 min: Amrabat is now operating from the left. That’s almost unbelievable given how much he was making Guerreiro suffer. Ziyach is deployed on the right now and, in fairness, he should be able to hurt Guerreiro, too.

73 min: Morocco continue to apply pressure. You wouldn’t rule them out winning this, let alone equalising. If only precision didn’t desert them in the box. They’re both beautiful and exasperating to watch. It’s slightly bizarre that they could exit this tournament without scoring a goal. Apart from for Iran, that is.

67 min: Freekick to Morocco after Guerreiro fouls Boussoufa, for a change. It’s a couple of yards outside the area, mid-way between the D and the corner. Ziyach steps up ... and curls over the bar. Never looked like it was going in.

64 min: Morocco are dominant. They’re forcing Portugal to defend in numbers and increasingly deep. And they appeal for a penalty again when a cross from the right hits the arm of a defender. But the defender was too close to the attacker to be able to get out of the way so it could not be construed as deliberate.

62 min: Morocco attack again. Their build-up play is splendid but their finishing is infuriating. But there’s still time ... “The ref got in the way of a Moroccan pass a few minutes ago,” observes Peter Oh. “I suppose it’s good to see an American get a touch of the ball in this tournament.” Badoom-tish.

57 min: Ziyach sends over a vicious in-swinging freekick from the right. Belhanda rises and gets a splendid downward header to it from 10 yards. Patricio dives to his right and tips it up and over the bar. That’s a brilliant save, not a million miles away from Banks’ from Pele in 1970!

51 min: Portugal catch out Morocco with a quick free near half-way. The Moroccasn were arguing with the ref! Joao Mario then pulls the bak from the byline to Silva, who miscues from 15 yards. The ball rolls out Ronaldo, charging into the box like a train ... but his shot is wild, flying high and wide. Cue jeers from the Moroccan fans.

46 min: We’re back. No changes during the break. But Renard did spent a minute or two talking to the officials in the tunnel, seemingly trying to convince the American referee to take a closer look at some of the challenges: Portugal seemed to get the benefit of most of the 50/50 decisions in the first half.

“Is this the best performance by a losing team that we’ve seen so far?” asks Charles Antaki. “Or should I say by a team that must inevitably concede again and go on to lose by another Cristiano teeth-grittingly too-easy goal?” Gah, enough of your fatalism, Charles. I’m saying Morocco get the equaliser they’ve been threatening. OK, possibly before conceding again to antother Cristiano teeth-grittingly too-easy goal.

Half-time: Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Ronaldo took advantage of shoddy Moroccan defending to send his country into an early lead. But since then Morocco have been well on top: they’re strong, vibrant and technically excellent. But they just can’t find a killer touch in front of goal. It was a similar story against Iran (without conceding an early goal). It must be painfully frustrating for Moroccan fans watching their team do so much so well but failing with the most important bit. But there is still time for them to get it right ...

45 min: Ziyech stands over a freekick near the corner flag on the right. It’s a beautiful delivery. Belhanda get a glancing header on it. It’s not going in, but Benatia may be able to get a foot to it at the back post. No! It drops just beyond the Moroccan and continues out of play, much to Portugal’s relief.

42 min: Morocco infiltrate down the right again. Amrabat has Guerreiro on a rack. The Watford man cross low from the byline. Portugal scramble it away. It’s been a recurring them, Morocco getting behind the Portuguese defence - especially down the left - but unable to find a man in the box.

39 min: The ball comes to Ronaldo about five yards outside the Moroccan box. He takes it on his chest and then lifts it over the defence into the path of Guedes. He’s clean through! The striker tries to guide a shot over El Kajoui but the goalkeeper stands tall and bats the ball away with one hand. Guedes should have left him with no chance there.

36 min: Belhanda slips as he tries to tackle Guerreiro. Freekick to Portugal. Curiously, that was in exactly the same spot - out near the touchline - where Amrabat slipped earlier. Is there a patch of wet grass there? An oil slick?